How To Get Through Your First Table Read?

It’s the end of my two-hour coaching session with John Judy at the Theatre Lab. I’m rearranging all the pages of my script back in order when John asks if I’d done a table read with the current cast. I respond with, “No. I’ve only done a few rehearsals with two of the four cast members via zoom due to all of our conflicting schedules”. He immediately emphasizes that zoom rehearsals are not as effective as in-person rehearsals and that it’s important to get all cast members in one room to say the lines and see if they sound right.

I definitely understood his reasoning because at a prior shoot I felt a bit uneasy working with a few cast members because I hadn’t met them in-person before that day. Whereas with one female cast member my comfort level was high because we managed to squeeze in an in-person rehearsal at Politics and Prose in DC before the shoot. So, I knew John was onto something.

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What do you do during a film table read?

A film table read is basically an in-person (preferable choice) meeting with the actors, director(s), assistant director(s), and producer(s) of the film. Copies of scripts are provided to each person in attendance and multiple run throughs of the script take place. The actors read their lines and the director makes adjustments, changes, and suggestions to the actors on how their lines should be verbalized and/or expressed on camera. 

A table read “breaks the ice”. It’s the first-time some actors will probably meet each other in-person and bond before rehearsals and/or production. It also gives actors and assistant directors a chance to ask questions, express concerns, make comments, and suggest forms of added creativity to make the film better. 

Lastly, a table read is where the director approves the wardrobe for the actors. Yes, this is a tedious task, but it really helps. For small indie productions, producers should make the actors bring all their wardrobe pieces and try them on physically for the director’s approval.

Note: It’s also best to have a videographer to record the experience. You can do it DIY (my experience was very rough as you’ll read about it here) but if you think you can pull it off then go for it. But having a professional is much better especially for behind-the-scenes social media content. Oh and don’t forget to provide refreshments 🙂

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So, before scheduling anything, I made sure to finalize the shots and scenes for the second shoot with the director of photography (DP). I needed to know which cast members would be needed on set. I manage to schedule a Saturday afternoon with 3 of them. Then, I book a small meeting room in DC on Peerspace for 4 hours giving each cast member 1-1.5-hour timeslots.

Next, I did some research on YouTube on how a table read takes place and I found myself watching the season 4 table read for Black-ish, the season 8 table read for Game of Thrones and the season 5 table read for Breaking Bad. I couldn’t help but notice how sort-of in-character a few of the cast members were when saying their lines. And, seeing the shock on a few actor’s faces when they found out about certain scenes was quite interesting.

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How long do table reads take?

I would aim for no less than 2-3 hours to have a table read. You never know how many run-throughs and changes the director would like to make in the script and how long it will take until the director is satisfied. The goal of a table read is to make sure the director(s) and actor(s) are on the exact same page so it can aide in the production running smoothly. Never underestimate the time you put in during pre-production. The more preparation you do the better your chances of a successful production.

(P.S. No production is usually completely perfect but by preparing you’re better able to handle issues that unexpectedly arise)

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Then, I figured I should record the table read for content but unfortunately the videographer I was comfortable with was going out of town that weekend. So, that responsibility was on me. I only had a ring light and cellphone to work with. Let me tell you, I regret it. It was a disaster trying work the camera because as the cast came in and ran through their lines my phone storage kept getting full, stopping the video recording at abrupt times. I had to keep deleting apps, pictures, and videos to free up space.

Did I mention it was HOT that day? It was a hike carrying a ring light, refreshments, and scripts from my car to the meeting room. And the building had no air conditioning!

Doing my best to deal with my irritability, the cast and I realized that as were saying some of the lines out loud to each other, some of it actually didn’t sound right verbally. So, we began making tweaks. Cutting out certain parts of scenes to make the flow sound more believable and straight to the point.

Goodness!

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Do actors get paid for table reads?

No. For small, independent films you can include a small gas (transportation) stipend but usually no compensation is required for actors to attend a table read. Honestly, actors really respect productions that take the time to have in-person table reads for them.

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Of course, I’m not going to leave you high and dry without showing you some behind-the-scenes content. Check out the second table read I did for my short film Blind Justice below:

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How do table reads work? How do you run a table read?

It’s a simple process. Don’t overthink it. Communicate with your production team on a definite date and time frame to have the table read. Book a spacious room that’s comfortable enough for all invited team members and actors to move and sit facing each other or, sitting side by side if you decide to have the table read in front of a live audience. Have introductions (meet and greet), let the director establish how he/she would like the table read to go and then begin. 

Note: Sometimes actors aren’t able to make the scheduled in-person table read. That’s where the assistant director(s), director(s), or producer(s) comes in. You may need someone to read in-place of the absent actor(s) and maybe another person to read the stage directions etc.

BE STRATEGIC & PREPARED!

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What are some table read examples?

There’s my short film’s table read above. There’s also the famous Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and Blackish (done in front of a live audience) below.

Don’t forget to leave your comments below.

Other posts you may be interested in:

• How To Begin Raising Money For Your Film?
• Why A Film Treatment Is Important?
• How To Save Money With Archival Footage In Film?

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Disclaimer: 

The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions of failure to act related to the content in this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter and jurisdiction.